Army Reservist's Mental Health Lapses and Communication Breakdowns Lead to Tragic Mass Shooting in Lewiston, Maine: A Call for Improved Mental Health Care and Communication in the Military

Lewiston, Maine United States of America
Army reservist Robert Card discharged from mental health hospital without proper follow-on care or notification to chain of command or authorities
Card resistant to psychoeducation during treatment and placed blame on others for behaviors
Card's son and ex-wife reported concerns to police but no action was taken
Communication breakdowns between Card's chain of command and civilian hospital resulted in unofficial escort home after release from hospital without proper documentation
During training, one soldier expressed concern for potential mass shooting
Importance of proper communication and follow-through in mental health care highlighted by tragic incident
Three officers disciplined for dereliction of duty related to Card's care after leaving hospital
Army Reservist's Mental Health Lapses and Communication Breakdowns Lead to Tragic Mass Shooting in Lewiston, Maine: A Call for Improved Mental Health Care and Communication in the Military

In October 2023, a tragic mass shooting occurred in Lewiston, Maine, leaving 18 people dead and 13 injured. The shooter was identified as Robert Card, an Army reservist who had been hospitalized for mental health concerns just a few months prior to the incident. According to reports from various sources,

The Army Reserve released an investigation report detailing the events leading up to the shooting. It was revealed that Card had been discharged from Four Winds Hospital in Katonah, New York, without proper follow-on care or notification to his chain of command or authorities about the potential danger he posed. In May 2023, Card's son and ex-wife reported their concerns to the police but no action was taken.

During training in July 2023, one of Card's fellow soldiers expressed concern for a potential mass shooting. Staff at Four Winds Hospital found that Card's risk for violence might have been higher than most people, particularly when he was paranoid and emotionally overwrought. However, Card appeared to be resistant to psychoeducation during treatment and often placed blame on others for his behaviors.

There were communication breakdowns between Card's chain of command and the civilian hospital. As a result, Card was escorted home by a fellow soldier in an unofficial capacity after being released from the hospital without proper documentation of his medical condition or hospital stay following his release. Three officers in Card's chain of command have been disciplined for dereliction of duty for failing to follow procedures related to Card's care after leaving the hospital.

The investigation report also noted that Card had a 'hit list,' but it is unclear what was on this list or who was targeted. The Army Reserve has not released further information about this matter.

This tragic incident highlights the importance of proper communication and follow-through in mental health care, particularly for individuals in the military. It also underscores the need for increased awareness and resources to support those struggling with mental health issues.


Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image

Confidence

91%

Doubts
  • It is unclear who was on Card's 'hit list'
  • The investigation report has not been made public, so all information is based on reports from various sources

Sources

95%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Army Sees No Link to Blast Exposure in Maine Gunman’s Mental Issues

The Name Of The NZ Prefix. I PWA NZI.P.Was Dropped. Dave Philipps Tuesday, 23 July 2024 14:00
  • Unique Points
    • Robert Card taught cadets at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point for eight years, including five years on the grenade range where about 2,400 grenades exploded over a two-week period
    • By age 40, Mr. Card wore hearing aids due to his exposure to explosions in his Army Reserve service
  • Accuracy
    • Army Reserve soldier Robert Card II was found to have mental health issues that contributed to his violent behavior
    • Card was supposed to run machine-gun training for cadets but was hospitalized at a civilian psychiatric hospital instead due to erratic behavior and psychosis with homicidal thoughts
    • The hospital determined Mr. Card had a ‘hit list’ and attempted to commit him involuntarily for treatment, but the effort was dropped under ‘questionable circumstances’
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

88%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Lewiston shootings: Gunman had a 'hit list,' Army Reserve report says

The Boston Globe Tuesday, 23 July 2024 00:00
  • Unique Points
    • Card was discharged from Four Winds Hospital without proper follow-on care or notification to the chain of command or authorities about potential danger he posed
    • Card's son and ex-wife reported their concerns to police in May 2023, but no action was taken
    • Card's fellow soldier flagged his behavior during training in July 2023, expressing concern for a potential mass shooting
    • Staff at Four Winds Hospital found Card's risk for violence might have been higher than most people, particularly when he was paranoid and emotionally overwrought
    • Card appeared to be resistant to psychoeducation during treatment and often placed blame on others for his behaviors
    • There were communication breakdowns between Card’s chain of command and the civilian hospital, leading to Card being escorted home by a fellow soldier in an unofficial capacity
    • Card was released from Four Winds Hospital despite requesting to be kept hospitalized, and without proper documentation of his medical condition or hospital stay following his release
    • Three officers in Card’s chain of command have been disciplined for dereliction of duty for failing to follow procedures related to Card’s care after leaving the hospital
  • Accuracy
    • Sergeant First Class Card killed 18 people and wounded 13 more at a Lewiston, Maine, bowling alley and restaurant in November 2023
    • Card experienced a rapid decline in mental health over a year prior to the shooting, and his family and Army colleagues expressed concerns about his erratic behavior and access to guns
  • Deception (50%)
    The article reports on an investigation into why no action was taken to prevent a mass shooting despite warnings about the shooter's mental health and access to guns. The author quotes from various sources including witnesses, investigators, and military officials. However, the author also editorializes by stating 'Good leaders care about their soldiers,' implying that the lack of action on the part of military leadership was a failure of leadership. This is an opinionated statement not based on facts provided in the article and therefore constitutes deception.
    • Good leaders care about their soldiers,
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

95%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Army Reserve punishes officers for dereliction of duty related to Maine shooting

CBS News Site: https://www.cbsnews.com/articles/about-us/ Eleanor Watson Tuesday, 23 July 2024 18:53
  • Unique Points
    • Card was hospitalized for mental health concerns a few months before the shooting and was discharged with a ‘very low risk’ of harm to himself or others.
    • Card began to hear voices of people ridiculing him behind his back and directly in his presence starting in January 2023.
  • Accuracy
    • Three officers in Card’s chain of command have been administratively punished for dereliction of duty for not following procedures, including initiating an investigation after Card was hospitalized.
    • Card killed 18 people at a bowling alley and a nearby restaurant on Oct. 25, and hadn’t been in duty status since he was released from the hospital on Aug. 3, 2023.
    • His family reported at least four mental health incidents to a school resource officer who referred it to local law enforcement, but Card was still ordered to attend mandatory annual training.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (95%)
    The article contains an appeal to authority fallacy when it states 'Lieutenant General Jody Daniels, chief of Army Reserve, told reporters the officers failed to follow procedures.' This statement implies that because the Lieutenant General said so, it must be true. However, this does not provide any evidence or reasoning for why the officers actually failed to follow procedures. Additionally, there are some instances of inflammatory rhetoric used in the article such as 'worst mass shooting in Maine’s history' and 'homicidal ideations.' These phrases are intended to elicit an emotional response from the reader rather than providing factual information.
    • ]Lieutenant General Jody Daniels, chief of Army Reserve, told reporters the officers failed to follow procedures.[
    • worst mass shooting in Maine’s history
    • homicidal ideations
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

94%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

3 Army Reserve officers disciplined after reservist killed 18 people in Maine

Entertainment Variety Tv Site: https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/tv-site/ DAVID SHARP Tuesday, 23 July 2024 18:56
  • Unique Points
    • Three Army Reserve officers were disciplined for dereliction of duty following a rampage in which a reservist killed 18 people in Maine.
    • Communication failures within the chain of command and between military and civilian hospitals contributed to the tragedy, according to an Army report.
  • Accuracy
    • ,
    • The gunman, Sgt. 1st Class Robert Card, had previously fallen from a ladder, potentially causing head injuries that were discovered post-mortem.
    • Card exhibited delusional and paranoid behavior months before the attack, but no action was taken due to communication failures between military and civilian hospitals.
    • The Army report recommends procedural changes and new policies to better manage reservists’ mental health.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (90%)
    The article contains several instances of inflammatory rhetoric and appeals to authority. The authors use the phrase 'the system failed' multiple times without providing any evidence or definition of what that means. They also quote Travis Brennan, an attorney representing victims' families, stating that 'the reports paint a very clear picture that there were numerous errors along the path leading up to this tragedy.' This is an appeal to authority as it implies that the reports are definitive proof of errors without providing any evidence or context. Additionally, the authors state 'The Army report recommends procedural changes and new policies to better manage reservists’ mental health.' This is a claim about the content of the report without providing any specific details or evidence from the report itself. However, no formal or dichotomous fallacies were found in this article.
    • ][The system failed][/], Travis Brennan stated '[the reports] paint a very clear picture that there were numerous errors along the path leading up to this tragedy.', The Army report 'recommends procedural changes and new policies to better manage reservists’ mental health.'
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

96%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Lewiston shootings: Read Army Reserve's report

The Boston Globe Tuesday, 23 July 2024 00:00
  • Unique Points
    • Army reservist acknowledged having a 'hit list''
  • Accuracy
    • Staff at New York mental health hospital attempted to commit him involuntarily for treatment, but the effort was dropped under 'questionable circumstances''
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication